WRs to watch

[The Breeze]

I like Woods too, but I fear he'll go in the 35 to 45 area. I think 25 is too high for us to take him.

yep. i don't like thinking about trading down for more picks....but it would be nice to have a top 10-15 second rounder.

[losperros]

the more I hear about these kinds of guys the more I like. Woods, Patton and even Dobson who is 6' 3 and didn't drop a ball all season. it really does look to be a deep draft at WR. I hope we get at least 2.

I agree. These guys make sense as good picks for the Vikings. That said, should the Vikings pick someone like Woods or Patton, they would still be well served to grab another WR later in the draft. And I hope they're keeping an eye on Terrance Williams, too.

Folks, I'm telling you, this a deep group of #2 and #3 WRs, not #1 guys.

[Mothman]

Here's a nice breakdown of Keenan Allen's game by Alen Dumonjic of Bleacher Report:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1460 ... -and-stock

Craig's take on Allen and some of the other doubts expressed about him on this board definitely have me thinking twice about him but it's hard to reconcile the doubts with all the praise he receives on draft sites, in player profiles, etc. I've watched some video of Allen (not just highlights) and I do see some issues in his game but all of the receivers in this draft come with question marks. To my eye, he seems to do a lot of things well. He definitely looks more like a possession WR than a deep threat with serious speed but in college, he got open and made plays at all levels of the field. He runs well with the ball in his hands. He runs slants and other inside routes very effectively and overall, he still looks like a very good player to me.

I'm not sure what the Vikes want from a receiver in this draft. If they're looking for a big split end to stretch the field, Allen's probably not their guy.

Rob Rang's take on Allen:

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/play ... enan-allen

Strengths: Has a long, tapered build with prototypical height for the position. Very good all-around athlete. Good initial quickness, balance and lateral agility. Is a smooth accelerator with sneaky build-up speed. Natural big play threat who isn't afraid of contact and has very good vision and patience to set up blocks. Rarely allows passes to get past his hands and into his chest. Typically snatches passes out of the air, showing very good hand-eye coordination and a wide catching radius due to his length, flexibility and big hands. Tracks the ball well over his shoulder. Experienced route-runner who has extensive experience lining up outside and in the slot. Quick hands and feet to slip past press coverage. Shows a natural savvy running his routes, altering his speeds, dipping his shoulder and exploding out of his cuts to generate separation from the defender. Does a nice job of shielding defensive backs from the ball with his size. Wastes little time getting upfield. Competitive, attentive downfield blocker.
Weaknesses: Lacks elite straight-line speed. Is quicker and more agile than his size would indicate but does not possess the elite elusiveness to consistently make defenders miss in tight quarters. Will occasionally drop catchable passes, though this typically occurs when he's in traffic and attempting to make a defender miss before securing the ball. Missed the final three games of the 2012 season with a left knee injury that will need to be evaluated at the Combine.

Compares To: Jordy Nelson, WR, Green Bay Packers -- Like Nelson, Allen possesses just enough straight-line speed to beat defenders on the outside, as well as the size, toughness and sure hands to attack over the middle.

[dead_poet]

Here's a nice breakdown of Keenan Allen's game by Alen Dumonjic of Bleacher Report:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1460 ... -and-stock

That's a pretty good write-up. And interesting the critique of his route running. I was under the impression this was a strength. This reviewer takes some issue with it.

[Mothman]

That's a pretty good write-up. And interesting the critique of his route running. I was under the impression this was a strength. This reviewer takes some issue with it.

He does and I found that interesting too, although I don't necessarily think that means route running isn't an overall strength for Allen. It may just mean there are some things he can clean up and improve, which is usually the case for a rookie WR entering the NFL. One of the things I've noticed in watching some video on him is that he sometimes runs his routes short of the first down marker. He gets open and makes the catch but comes up a yard short of the conversion. That's another thing that would need to be cleaned up in the pros.

[dead_poet]

Josh Boyce - WR - Horned Frogs

TCU WR Josh Boyce is visiting the Steelers on Thursday.

Boyce is a vertical target with good size who was limited by poor quarterback play in 2012. He participated in the NFL Combine despite suffering from a broken pinkie toe, but that determination and competitive nature shows up on the field for Boyce, as he fights for yards after the catch.
Source: Bob Labriola on Twitter

[Eli]

Josh Boyce - WR - Horned Frogs

TCU WR Josh Boyce is visiting the Steelers on Thursday.

Boyce is a vertical target with good size who was limited by poor quarterback play in 2012. He participated in the NFL Combine despite suffering from a broken pinkie toe, but that determination and competitive nature shows up on the field for Boyce, as he fights for yards after the catch.
Source: Bob Labriola on Twitter

5'11" is "good size"? He is a solid 206 lbs, though, and posted some nice numbers at the combine, including running a 4.38 40 with a broken toe.

[dead_poet]

5'11" is "good size"? He is a solid 206 lbs, though, and posted some nice numbers at the combine, including running a 4.38 40 with a broken toe.

Well, they didn't say "great size"

I'd be very happy with him in the fourth. I think he was the victim of some bad QB play. He's got some wheels for sure.

[losperros]

You can almost say Austin would be an improvement over Harvin and that's saying a lot.

Yes, you could almost say it, but it wouldn't be true.

He does and I found that interesting too, although I don't necessarily think that means route running isn't an overall strength for Allen. It may just mean there are some things he can clean up and improve, which is usually the case for a rookie WR entering the NFL. One of the things I've noticed in watching some video on him is that he sometimes runs his routes short of the first down marker. He gets open and makes the catch but comes up a yard short of the conversion. That's another thing that would need to be cleaned up in the pros.

The problem with Allen's route running is that he can't catch a ball in traffic, at least from what I've seen watching him play full games. Despite what the article says, Allen isn't great at getting separation. When he runs short routes, which is what he usually does, too often he can't break away from the crowd. As I've said before, this was especially true when Cal played against good defenses. Just my two cents here, guys.

Admittedly, I'm probably overdoing the criticism on Allen, given the accolades he's receiving from people who know far more about Allen and the draft than I do. I'm just going by what I've seen during some games. But I have to wonder if Allen brings anything to the Vikings team that solves their WR problems. I feel the Vikings need a WR from this draft that can get separation, run crisp routes, and stretch the field. Is that really Allen? In my view, no it isn't.

[S197]

Yes, you could almost say it, but it wouldn't be true.

The problem with Allen's route running is that he can't catch a ball in traffic, at least from what I've seen watching him play full games. Despite what the article says, Allen isn't great at getting separation. When he runs short routes, which is what he usually does, too often he can't break away from the crowd. As I've said before, this was especially true when Cal played against good defenses. Just my two cents here, guys.

Admittedly, I'm probably overdoing the criticism on Allen, given the accolades he's receiving from people who know far more about Allen and the draft than I do. I'm just going by what I've seen during some games. But I have to wonder if Allen brings anything to the Vikings team that solves their WR problems. I feel the Vikings need a WR from this draft that can get separation, run crisp routes, and stretch the field. Is that really Allen? In my view, no it isn't.

He doesn't get a lot of separation but one of his biggest strengths is catching the ball in traffic. He's very much Brandon Marshall-like in that sense.

You can see he doesn't have breakaway speed but he definitely fights for the ball.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EF0N9S_ZDg

[Mothman]

Admittedly, I'm probably overdoing the criticism on Allen, given the accolades he's receiving from people who know far more about Allen and the draft than I do. I'm just going by what I've seen during some games. But I have to wonder if Allen brings anything to the Vikings team that solves their WR problems. I feel the Vikings need a WR from this draft that can get separation, run crisp routes, and stretch the field. Is that really Allen? In my view, no it isn't.

I have to say, Craig, that the more I watch him, the more I think that might be Allen... at least when it comes to getting separation and running crisp routes. There are faster WRs in this draft who can stretch the field better but overall, Allen looks quite good to me. He's not perfect, but I like his game. I haven't seen as much of him as you have so I may be wrong about him but I've been digging around, trying to watch more than just highlight videos, and I've found collections of plays from his performances against Ohio State, USC, UCLA and Washington State. when i consider them along with what I've seen in the highlight videos, I'm impressed by his skills and athleticism.

For those who want to watch:

Ohio State and USC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylzEMgmWWnM

UCLA and Washington State: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfDkoV5Bcb4

Also, for what it's worth, here's former scout and current NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks' take on Allen:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-pro-compa ... comparison

I'm not trying to push Allen so I hope it doesn't come off that way. I'm just trying to reconcile some of the doubts and questions I've heard about him with the praise I've been seeing. He's far from the only WR in this draft that interests me as a prospect for the Vikings but I'm definitely intrigued.

[Mothman]

Here's Bucky Brooks' take on Robert Woods:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-pro-compa ... comparison

He compares him to Reggie Wayne.

[Texas Vike]

Here's Bucky Brooks' take on Robert Woods:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-pro-compa ... comparison

He compares him to Reggie Wayne.

I'm with losperros on this one. Allen just doesn't convince me... I promise to watch those vids you posted when I get a chance, Moth. Woods, OTOH, seems like a good pick. I am just not sure where they'd take him: 25 seems too high, 52 (?), 2nd rounder, seems too low.

[Texas Vike]

Josh Boyce - WR - Horned Frogs

TCU WR Josh Boyce is visiting the Steelers on Thursday.

Boyce is a vertical target with good size who was limited by poor quarterback play in 2012. He participated in the NFL Combine despite suffering from a broken pinkie toe, but that determination and competitive nature shows up on the field for Boyce, as he fights for yards after the catch.
Source: Bob Labriola on Twitter

I've been calling for Boyce for some time now. I watched a good number of Horned Frogs games and I think this kid is a total sleeper. Really solid frame, big imposing body, fights for the ball and is surprisingly fast for his size. He's explosive when he gets the ball.

He'd be an excellent 4th round pick if he lasts that long. And yes, TCU's QB went into rehab early in the season, which put a huge damper on Boyce's numbers.

[dead_poet]

I'm with losperros on this one. Allen just doesn't convince me... I promise to watch those vids you posted when I get a chance, Moth. Woods, OTOH, seems like a good pick. I am just not sure where they'd take him: 25 seems too high, 52 (?), 2nd rounder, seems too low.

I'm starting to get downright smitten with Woods. I know some might criticize the organization if they pick him at 25, but I can see a case being made for him going that high. The Wayne comparison is a good one.